As Long As You Want Me
by Dreamcatcher2012
Summary: My take on how 3x08 should have ended.


I know there are a couple of these out there, but here is mine. Hope you enjoy this one-shot! Review as always!

Aria POV

"Aria, you act as if I've hurt your feelings" Ezra's mother said knowingly, "it was unintentional. I just want to make sure that I'm being clear. I may not agree with the way Ezra lives his life, but I'm not going to stand by and let you ruin him" she finished strongly.

"I love him," I responded in disbelief.

"Oh yes, it's all romance and sacrifice .… except you determine what gets sacrificed… you're the one that made it impossible for him to stay at your little high school, you're the one who got him tossed out of Hollis, I want to make sure you understand your own motives". Ezra's mother was unbelievable, was she seriously saying this to me right now?

"I don't have any motives" I said defiantly, once again trying to show how strong my love for Ezra was.

"Everyone has motives" she responded passively.

"Maybe in your world" I said staring her straight in her eye. If she wanted a fight, she was going to get one.

"It's not too late for us to have a practical discussion," Diane continued. There can be real world compensations in your ending this…

"Compensations?" I asked, not fully understanding her meaning.

"I've got your attention at last, I thought I might" Diane said as she grinned.

I stared at her in disbelief, was she truly suggesting that I leave Ezra for money? With one last look, I turn and walk away, dumping my drink on the way out and trying not to burst into tears before I left the museum.

As I made my way into my room and clumsily kicked off my heels, the events of the evening weighing on my shoulders forced me to the ground. 'Was I really destroying Ezra? How could I be so blind to how our relationship was effecting him?' I thought as I mindlessly picked at a fingernail.

"Aria, are you okay?' my dad asked tearing me from my own little world and back into reality. "Is everything alright" he continued while contemplating whether or not to come into my room.

"Far from it actually, not that you'd care" I huffed before I could even process what I'd said.

"Aria…" Byron interjected.

"Look I'm sorry its been a really long night and I'm exhausted, so if it's okay with you, I'd rather just be left alone at this point" I mumbled as I pulled myself up off the floor and began to carefully take off my earrings. .

" Did he do something? If he did something to you… hurt you in any way, tried to force you…." Byron said with an infuriated look on his face.

"Oh come on, it's Ezra, not a monster," I quickly countered. "And besides, there wouldn't be any forcing me into anything". Realizing what I had said, I glanced at my father's face only to see the color drain from it and him leaning on the doorframe to keep upright. It was at that moment the doorbell rang. 'Who could that be at this time of night?'

Byron made his way downstairs to answer the door, and it wasn't until he had reached the bottom of the stairs that I realized it could only be one person; Ezra. I rushed down the stairs just in time to see my father open the door to find Ezra standing on our porch in his wrinkled blue dress shirt, tie undone, and hair a mess. Clearly he had been running his hand through it, a habit Ezra had that accompanied any stressful occasion.

"I'm sorry it's so late," Ezra admitted, "but I need to see Aria, it's important".

"Absolutely not," Byron responded without hesitation. "It's bad enough I let her see you, but coming to my house this late in the evening? You must be joking".

" I promise it will only take a minute, and I'm not leaving until I get a chance to speak with her" Ezra said with conviction. He only adjusted his tie once during this entire exchange. Very impressive Mr. Fitz, very impressive indeed.

"Dad, please? I'll keep it short."

"Fine" Byron muttered as he stepped away from the door, " but I'm staying right here".

"Your choice" I responded not caring that he would be listening to our conversation. At this point, what's the point of hiding anything anymore?

Ezra stepped into the house and immediately reached out for me, gently wiping away the streaks of tears lining my face and pulling me into a loving embrace. At this action, Byron took a few strides into the dinning room, muttering something about 'watching us' that neither Ezra nor I paid any attention to.

"What did she say to you?" Ezra questioned with a look of anguish drawn across his face.

I looked down shaking my head slightly, trying to figure out how I could have done so much to hurt the man I loved without even realizing it. I glanced up at him once more only seeing the extent to which worry lines had taken over his face, physical effects of our relationship I'm sure. "The truth," I uttered so faintly I wasn't even sure he'd heard it.

"What did she say?" he said once more with such conviction.

It was clear I wasn't getting out of this conversation, so I took another moment to collect my thoughts, faltering slightly in anticipation of his reaction. "She, she said that I was ruining you… and I mean, she has a point, Ezra, ever since I met you, you have lost two jobs because of me. How could I have let this happen?" I released a breath I didn't know I was holding and looked up at Ezra with fresh tears falling down my already rosy cheeks.

Ezra ushered me over to the couch, carefully pulling me into his lap. "Shh" he said, trying to comfort me by rubbing my back while I grasped at his shirt, burying my head in the crook of his neck, " you did not ruin me…. You have made my life better. Yes, there have been some bumps along the way, but I wouldn't change anything. I made a decision in the beginning of our relationship that even though us being together would be a great risk, it was worth it because I would be with you." Ezra said with look of hope in his eye. "And anyway," Ezra continued, "it couldn't have ever been your fault, because it wasn't your decision, Aria, it was mine. My decision to fall in love with an amazing, smart and talented girl."

I laughed slightly at his admission. The fact that through all my tears and sobbing Ezra could still find a way to compliment me was very telling of our relationship in some odd way.

" I know that I haven't told you everything when it comes to my family, but I promise in time I will…. I just… I want you to understand something. For the past year my parents and brother haven't had a role in my life and I haven't missed them. For the past year, I have had you to fill that void for me, Aria. To me, you are my family, and there's nothing more to it" Ezra finished as I stared up at him astonished at his admission once again this evening.

" I can't say that I don't love hearing that," I replied cautiously, "but I can't help but feel like your mother is still going to come between us in the end…. I mean she's your mother Ezra, I can't compete with that".

"I don't think you're quite hearing me Ar, there is no competition" Ezra spoke surely, staring right into my hazel eyes. " I should have protected you tonight and for that I am truly sorry, I should have never left your side…"

"I'm fine," I breathed, " a little battered and bruised, but we've been though worse… I guess I should have realized your mother wouldn't fully accept a sixteen year old dating her son".

"Like I said, Ezra quickly responded, "you are my family now, she doesn't matter to me. It's me and you, together and no one is going to keep us apart".

"Do you promise?" I asked, once again looking for confirmation that this was right.

"As long as you want me, Aria, I'm yours" he said simply as he pressed his lips to mine in a gently but emotional kiss.

I laid my head down on his chest as my eyes began to flutter closed. Sometime during our discussion, we had shifted so that we were laying on the couch, me on top of Ezra in or usual sleeping position. Ezra continued to soothingly rub my back as the minutes passed.

Before finally giving in and falling asleep, I spoke to Ezra once more. "Forever," I said.

"What? What was that Aria?" Ezra asked quizzically, making it clear he hadn't understood my proclamation.

"I'll want you forever," I clarified before finally drifting off to a peaceful slumber.

EZRA POV

I couldn't help but smile at Aria's last admission. While it was one of my biggest fears that she would one day out grow me, in this moment that thought was far away. However, that invincible feeling soon subsided as I heard footsteps entering the living room. I looked up to see Byron looking down at me. As I began to shift to get up without waking Aria, Byron stuck his hand out signaling me to stay in my position.

"I wanted to talk to you," he said sternly as he sat down on the chair facing the couch Aria and I were currently occupying in an intimate position. He had me cornered, well, pinned down by Aria's sleeping frame that is.

"Are you sure this is the right time?" I countered, hoping that he would back off for now. Tonight had been difficult enough and a conversation with Byron about my illicit relationship with his daughter might not be the best recipe.

" I think so" he said simply, clearly we were having this conversation right here and now. " I overheard you and Aria's conversation."

"Byron, I…" I started in an effort to start justifying to Byron the emotional exchange that had just occurred in his living room.

"It's been difficult for me, " Byron started, shuffling uncomfortably in his chair " to accept this relationship. I do not condone how the relationship started in any way, but after hearing your conversation this evening, it's clear that this isn't just a fling."

"No, it's not, and it never was" I responded confidently in an effort to reassure Byron for the millionth time that I was legitimately in love with his daughter.

"Yes, well now I guess it's my turn to warn you that if you ever hurt her, I will kill you".

I started to laugh but immediately swallowed it in favor of a nod. He was giving me a chance and I wasn't going to mess it up for Aria and I. "I would never hurt Aria. I love her more than I thought I could ever love anyone, and I'm not going anywhere as long as she wants me".

"You're lucky, you know," Byron responded while staring at Aria's angelic face safely laying in the crook of my neck. "I've seen the way she looks at you, with such adoration and love… it reminds me of how she looked at me when she was younger. But, with you it's deeper than that, it's like she's looking at another part of herself." Byron looked me right in the eye for the first time in our conversation, "Don't take that for granted. Losing that is the most painful thing."

" I would never her for granted, but it isn't really my choice how long Aria will look at me like that…. it's her choice, and there is nothing I can do about that. I just have to cherish every day I get with her and hope for many more" I spoke as I ran my hand carefully through her curls. At this moment, Aria readjusted herself so that her face was closer to mine, her lips just centimeters away from my own. I leaned down and softly placed my lips upon hers just lightly enough for them to touch.

"You can stay tonight," Byron stated reminding me that he was still present, " I don't want to wake Aria, she's had a rough night from the sounds of it. But that's it. There will be strict rules and they will be followed until we get to know one another better and I feel more comfortable with you two."

"Thank you" I replied as Byron walked out of the room turning off the lights. Left in complete darkness with the woman I loved sleeping soundly on top of me, I closed my eyes and began to join Aria in a peaceful slumber. At least for tonight, I was the luckiest man in the world to be loved by the one and only Aria Montgomery.


End file.
